Expression profiling of human glial precursors.
BACKGROUND
We have generated gene expression databases for human glial precursors, neuronal precursors, astrocyte precursors and neural stem cells and focused on comparing the profile of glial precursors with that of other populations.


RESULTS
A total of 14 samples were analyzed. Each population, previously distinguished from each other by immunocytochemical analysis of cell surface markers, expressed genes related to their key differentiation pathways. For the glial precursor cell population, we identified 458 genes that were uniquely expressed. Expression of a subset of these individual genes was validated by RT-PCR. We also report genes encoding cell surface markers that may be useful for identification and purification of human glial precursor populations.


CONCLUSIONS
We provide gene expression profile for human glial precursors. Our data suggest several signaling pathways that are important for proliferation and differentiation of human glial precursors. Such information may be utilized to further purify glial precursor populations, optimize media formulation, or study the effects of glial differentiation.
Campanelli
James T
JT
Q Therapeutics, Inc. 615 Arapeen Dr., Ste. 102, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA. jcampanelli@qthera.com
Sandrock
Robert W
RW
Wheatley
Will
W
Xue
Haipeng
H
Zheng
Jianhua
J
Liang
Feng
F
Chesnut
Jonathan D
JD
Zhan
Ming
M
Rao
Mahendra S
MS
Liu
Ying
Y
D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D014157:Transcription Factors